'Rapid' bacteria detector developed

A NEW device which cuts the time taken to detect bacteria in food down to a matter of hours has been developed by scientists who said it would help reduce the number of food poisoning cases.

The University of Southampton's Biolisme project has developed the new sensor which is capable of collecting and detecting Listeria monocytogenes on food industry surfaces, preventing contaminated products from entering the market.

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogen that causes listeriosis, an infection with symptoms of fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, that can spread to other parts of the body and lead to more serious complications, like meningitis.

Transmitted by ready-to-eat foods, such as milk, cheese, vegetables, raw and smoked fish, meat and cold cuts, Listeria monocytogenes has the highest hospitalisation (92 per cent) and death (18 per cent) rate among all foodborne pathogens.

Listeriosis mainly affects pregnant women, new-born children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

"Current techniques to detect the bacteria take days of testing in labs, but the new device aims to collect and detect the pathogen on location within three to four hours," a university spokesman said.

"This early and rapid detection can avoid the cross contamination of ready-to-eat food products.

The spokesman explained that the new device was designed to sample single cells and biofilms - groups of microorganisms where cells stick together on surfaces.

Compressed air and water is used to remove the cells before they are introduced to an antibody.

If Listeria monocytogenes is present, cells react with the antibody to produce a florescent signal, which is detected by a special camera.

Doctor Salome Giao, from Southampton's Centre for Biological Science Unit, who worked on the technique with Professor Bill Keevil, said: "The scientific research we have carried out at the University of Southampton has been used by our Biolisme project partners to develop a device which will have major implications for the food industry.

"By making the process simpler we hope that testing will be conducted more frequently, thereby reducing the chance of infected food having to be recalled or making its way to the consumer."

The prototype sensor, which is being created by a consortium of six partners across four EU countries, has been finalised in France and field trials are under way to test the device before it is demonstrated in food factories.

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Ministers talk security in Japan

Australia's defence and foreign ministers are in Japan for top level talks. Source: AAP

DEFENCE Minister David Johnston and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop are in Japan for top level talks as Australia and Japan move to deepen defence and security co-operation.

The ministers were meeting their opposite numbers in Tokyo on Wednesday for the fifth Australia-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministerial (2+2) Consultations.

That follows Prime Minister Tony Abbott's visit to Japan in April where he agreed on both a trade deal and future cooperation on defence science and technology, particularly joint research on marine hydrodynamics.

In practice, that means submarines, with Australia interested in Japan's new Soryu-class boats as it looks to replacements for the Navy's six Collins submarines.

The ministers are expected to conclude negotiations on the proposed Defence Science, Technology and Materiel Agreement, announced during Mr Abbott's visit.

The agreement will allow Australia and Japan to jointly develop defence technologies, establishing a basis to deepen defence cooperation, they said.

During the visit, Ms Bishop will meet Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and other senior Japanese ministers, parliament members and academics to discuss international and bilateral developments.

That will include the New Colombo Plan, under which students from around the region will receive scholarships to study in Australia.

Senator Johnston will meet Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera separately to discuss progress in bilateral defence engagement in areas such as logistics cooperation, exercises and training, and peacekeeping and disaster relief.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who reportedly is planning to visit Australia in July, wants Japan to play a bigger role on the global stage, loosening longstanding constitutional restrictions on the role of its defence force.

He has moved to ease tight restrictions on weapons exports, paving the way for greater defence co-operation with Australia.

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WA animal poisonings worry RSPCA

THE RSPCA is calling for witnesses after reports of more than 40 animals being poisoned over the past six months in West Australia.

Since December, the not-for-profit organisation has investigated 29 cases of dogs being poisoned, seven cases of cat poisonings and five poisonings of birds and other wildlife.

An RSPCA spokesman said of the cases investigated, the majority of the animals died as a result of the poisoning or had to be euthanised.

Animals who survived poisoning were often left with ongoing health problems such as neurological and organ dysfunction, he said.

On Wednesday, the RSPCA received a report of a dog being poisoned at a home in the Perth Hills region suburb of Roleystone just four weeks after the owner's other dog died from poisoning.

The most recent incident comes only two days after two dogs were poisoned with snail pellets at a Singleton home near Mandurah.

RSPCA chief inspector Amanda Swift said poisoned animals could face a slow and agonising death.

"If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, they need to be taken to the nearest veterinary clinic immediately," she said.

People found guilty of poisoning an animal can face a fine of up to $50,000 and five years jail.

Anyone who has information or has witnessed any suspicious behaviour is urged to call the RSPCA cruelty hotline 1300 CRUELTY.

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Shark fin off menu in Singapore resort

A MAJOR Singaporean resort is removing shark fin from its exhibition and convention centre menus, its management has announced.

Shark fin soup is a traditional staple of wedding dinners in the predominantly Chinese city-state.

"Marina Bay Sands is a leader in the hospitality and MICE [meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions] industry. We have the unique opportunity to inspire and influence our customers and partners to adopt sustainable practices," said Kevin Teng, the resort's director of sustainability.

Wildlife and environmental activists welcomed the announcement on Wednesday.

"We applaud their strong commitment to marine protection and hope that other hotels will follow their excellent example," the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society.

"This move ... sends a strong and clear message that this is an important issue that needs to be addressed," said Olivia Choong, president of Green Drinks Singapore.

Sharks are hunted and harvested worldwide, mainly to satisfy the large demand for shark fin in Asian markets. The soup is considered a traditional delicacy in Chinese cuisine, and is often served during festive occasions.

But the slaughter of millions of top-tier predators each year just for the fins is cruel and upsets the delicate balance of marine ecosystems, conservationists say.

Singapore has been identified as one of the largest shark fin trading nations, and one of the top exporters to the major market of Hong Kong.

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Barnett flags WA penalty rate changes

THE West Australian premier is seeking to allow small businesses access to the same employment conditions as larger companies to establish fairer penalty rates throughout the week.

Colin Barnett said larger employers, such as Coles and Woolworths, often negotiated enterprise agreements with unions to compensate lower weekend and night penalty rates with higher hourly rates during the week.

The premier said WA's small businesses were disadvantaged by award structures and he had spoken briefly to Attorney-General Michael Mischin about remedying the situation.

"There are certainly some legal difficulties but to me that's not a reason for not trying to provide something more fairer to small business and also fairer to the employees," Mr Barnett said.

"Why should you see that people perhaps on a second job on the weekend or students working part-time over a weekend get dramatically higher rates than people whose whole career and support in terms of their employment is working in the retail industry or the hotel sector or the entertainment sector?

"There should be penalty rates for weekend and night work but they shouldn't be so far above the normal weekly hourly rate so it's unfair to most people working in those industries."

Mr Barnett said large and medium-sized corporate entities came under federal relations law but unincorporated small businesses were a state responsibility.

"That's the typical shop you would see in a shopping mall or street shopping environment perhaps employing just two or three people," he said.

"I think that they are the ones that are stuck with an award that stipulates higher penalty rates than Coles and Woolworths or other stores would pay."

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Scottish backpacker missing in Melbourne

A social media campaign has been launched in a bid to locate a missing Scottish tourist. Source: AAP

WITH no passport, money or a place to stay, backpacker Jonathan Ansell was distressed when he called his mother back in Scotland two weeks ago.

The 27-year-old said he was in Melbourne and had lost his passport and mobile phone, before the call ended abruptly. He has been missing ever since.

"I think he must have been calling from a phone box and didn't have any more money and it just got cut off," Judith Ansell, who has travelled to Australia to search for her son, told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday.

"He said he had run out of money, and was living rough."

Mr Ansell came to Australia on a work visa in April 2013 and was employed on Hamilton Island before hitting the road and visiting Sydney and Byron Bay.

In February, he met up with friends in Sydney, where his Scottish bank records indicate the last use of a credit card.

Victoria Police are checking to see if he had an Australian bank account that could shed more light on his movements.

Mr Ansell's work visa ran out in April 2014.

Mrs Ansell described her son as affable, but extremely quiet and he was unlikely to approach people to ask for help.

His sister Kate has started a social media campaign which has been shared more than 2000 times on Facebook.

A picture of Mr Ansell has been released and anyone with information is urged to contact police.

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Johnson won't be expelled: Barnett

WA's premier says rogue MP Rob Johnson is not at risk of being expelled from the Liberal party. Source: AAP

ROGUE West Australian Liberal backbencher Rob Johnson is not at risk of being expelled from the party, Premier Colin Barnett says.

Mr Johnson has been an outspoken critic of the state government since he was dropped as police minister during a cabinet reshuffle in June 2012.

Recent media reports suggested MLC Phil Edman, the government whip, was securing support to move a motion to expel Mr Johnson at a party room meeting on Tuesday.

While Mr Barnett said no motion was made during the meeting, members had discussed the need to end leaks from the Liberal party room to keep its confidentiality.

"It's courteous to let the party room or the leader know you're going to speak on some topic which is perhaps contrary to the party's position or the government's position," Mr Barnett said.

"If you want to make a comment as a Liberal you can - that's one of the freedoms within our Liberal Party. I also insist you actually put your name to it, you actually have the courage to do that.

"When members of parliament go outside and, with respect, talk to the media, or divulge what's said in the party room, that undermines confidence in (the party room) process."

Mr Barnett urged party members not to personally criticise each other and instead focus on debating policy.

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Trapped man may stay in German cave longer

Rescuers are working to retrieve a man stuck deep underground inside a cave in the German Alps. Source: AAP

RESCUERS say they aim to extract a researcher trapped with a serious injury in Germany's deepest and longest cave by the end of the week.

The Bavarian mountain search and rescue service said a Swiss team expected to reach the 52-year-old cave explorer, who is lying injured at a depth of around 1000 metres, later on Tuesday.

He is to be gradually lifted back to daylight by way of five bivouac stations that are being set up in the Alpine cave Riesending on the Austrian border over the next three to five days, German news agency DPA reported.

The researcher was exploring the cave with two other people early on Sunday when he suffered head and chest injuries from falling rocks.

A 42-year-old member of the expedition climbed out of the cave on his own to get help and it took a team of four first responders 12 hours to reach the stricken man Monday.

A team building the bivouac stations set up a telephone line at a depth of 400 metres to facilitate the operation.

A total of around 200 helpers have deployed from across the region to assist in the operation.

"The conditions are extremely narrow. The rescue won't be easy," doctor Christoph Specht told rolling news channel NTV.

"There are only a few people in Germany who know how to handle such a rescue."

The labyrinth-like Riesending cave, which has only been explored by researchers since 2002, is more than 19 kilometres long and up to 1148 metres deep.

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Scottish tourist missing in Victoria

POLICE have appealed for public help to find a missing UK tourist who has not had contact with his family in Scotland for two weeks.

Twenty-six year old Jonathan Ansell, who has been in Australia for about two years, last told his family he was in Melbourne, but Mr Ansell may have travelled within Victoria or interstate.

He is described as of Caucasian appearance, 175cm tall with a fair complexion and short, light brown to dark blonde hair.

Anyone who sees him should call triple-zero.

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17 Indian police get life for killing man

AN Indian court has sentenced 17 police officers to life in prison for kidnapping and killing a 22-year-old jobseeker in their custody in 2009.

Prosecutors said business graduate Ranbir Singh had gone to the northern city of Dehradun looking for a job when he was arrested by police for alleged robbery.

Newspapers said police claimed Singh was involved in an extortion racket and was shot trying to escape arrest.

But an investigation determined he'd been tortured, shot 12 times at close range and died in custody.

The conviction of 17 police officers in a single case is believed to be unprecedented in India.

Rights groups often accuse Indian security forces of torturing and killing people in custody to force them to confess.

In convicting the officers on Friday, Judge J.P. Malik also found them guilty of entering into a criminal conspiracy to kill Singh.

The officers had denied the charges against them and can appeal.

Members of the victim's family said on Monday they had hoped the officers would be given the death penalty, and would appeal the sentences to a higher court.

The case was tried in New Delhi, after the victim's father, Ravindra Singh, filed a petition saying the involvement of Uttarakhand's state police left him doubtful that justice could be served by authorities in the state capital of Dehradun.

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